Link mechanism

Abstract

A link mechanism capable of setting any desirable speed of opening/closing a lid during a series of the opening/closing operation and capable of exerting a strong driving force is provided. A lid ( 6 ) is attached to a lid bracket ( 31 ). The lid bracket ( 31 ) is pivotally connected to a driving lever ( 14 ) and a coupled-driving lever ( 15 ) with which the lid ( 6 ) is opened or closed. The driving lever ( 14 ) is provided with a cam having an elongated hole ( 34 ), into which a driving pin ( 36 ) provided to a sector gear ( 13 ) is fitted. The sector gear ( 12 ) is driven by a motor through a pinion ( 22 ). According to rotation of the sector gear ( 13 ), the driving pin ( 36 ) moves in the elongated hole ( 34 ) and drives the driving lever ( 14 ). Since the distance between the center of the sector gear ( 13 ) and the driving pin ( 36 ) is larger than the radius of the pinion ( 22 ), such mechanism exerts a strong driving force.

1. A link mechanism for opening and closing a lid, comprising:
 a base; 
 a driving lever and a coupled-driving lever, one end of each of the levers being pivotally connected to the base at a different position from each other; and 
 a lid to which the other end of each of the levers is connected, wherein the driving lever is provided with a cam which has one of a groove and an elongated hole to accept a pin, 
 the pin is provided to a gear which is driven by a motor through a pinion, 
 a distance between the central axis of the gear and the pin is larger than the radius of the pinion, and 
 the driving lever is driven by the pin which is configured to move in one of the groove and the elongated hole. 
 
     
     
       2. A link mechanism for opening and closing a lid, comprising:
 a base; 
 a driving lever and a coupled-driving lever, one end of each of the levers being pivotally connected to the base at a different position from each other; and 
 a lid to which the other end of each of the levers is connected, 
 wherein the driving lever is provided with one of a groove and an elongated hole to accept a pin, 
 the pin is provided to a gear which is driven by a motor through a pinion, 
 a distance between the central axis of the gear and the pin is larger than the radius of the pinion, and 
 the driving lever is driven by the pin which is configured to move in one of the groove and the elongated hole. 
 
     
     
       3. The link mechanism as described in  claim 1 , wherein one of the groove and the elongated hole is formed in a manner extending away from a portion of the driving lever at which the driving lever is pivotally connected to the base. 
     
     
       4. The link mechanism as described in  claim 1 , wherein one of the groove and the elongated hole has a non-driving section which is formed generally parallel to a moving track of the pin, and
 the driving lever is not driven even when the pin moves in the non-driving section. 
 
     
     
       5. The link mechanism as described in  claim 1 , wherein the non-driving section is provided at least at one end of one of the groove and the elongated hole, and
 when the pin is located in the non-driving section, the lid is kept in a closed state. 
 
     
     
       6. The link mechanism as described in  claim 5 , wherein the non-driving section is provided in one of the groove and the elongated hole at one end thereof located closer to a portion of the driving lever at which the driving lever is pivotally connected to the base. 
     
     
       7. The link mechanism as described in  claim 5 , wherein,
 the gear drives the lid from an open state to a closed state through rotation in one direction, and 
 while the rotation in one direction of the gear causes the pin to move in the non-driving section provided at the end of one of the groove and the elongated hole, an engaging member provided to the gear engages an engagement-object member provided to the lid. 
 
     
     
       8. The link mechanism as described in  claim 7 , wherein the gear is a sector gear. 
     
     
       9. The link mechanism as described in  claim 8 , wherein the engaging member is an end portion of the sector gear which is formed in the shape of a hook. 
     
     
       10. The link mechanism as described in  claim 6 , wherein,
 the gear drives the lid from an open state to a closed state through rotation in one direction, and 
 while the rotation in one direction of the gear causes the pin to move in the non-driving section provided at the end of one of the groove and the elongated hole, an engaging member provided to the gear engages an engagement-object member provided to the lid. 
 
     
     
       11. The link mechanism as described in  claim 10 , wherein the gear is a sector gear. 
     
     
       12. The link mechanism as described in  claim 11 , wherein the engaging member is an end portion of the sector gear which is formed in the shape of a hook. 
     
     
       13. The link mechanism as described in  claim 2 , wherein one of the groove and the elongated hole is formed in a manner extending away from a portion of the driving lever at which the driving lever is pivotally connected to the base. 
     
     
       14. The link mechanism as described in  claim 2 , wherein one of the groove and the elongated hole has a non-driving section which is formed generally parallel to a moving track of the pin, and
 the driving lever is not driven even when the pin moves in the non-driving section. 
 
     
     
       15. The link mechanism as described in  claim 3 , wherein one of the groove and the elongated hole has a non-driving section which is formed generally parallel to a moving track of the pin, and
 the driving lever is not driven even when the pin moves in the non-driving section. 
 
     
     
       16. The link mechanism as described in  claim 2 , wherein the non-driving section is provided at least at one end of one of the groove and the elongated hole, and
 when the pin is located in the non-driving section, the lid is kept in a closed state. 
 
     
     
       17. The link mechanism as described in  claim 16 , wherein the non-driving section is provided in one of the groove and the elongated hole at one end thereof located closer to a portion of the driving lever at which the driving lever is pivotally connected to the base. 
     
     
       18. The link mechanism as described in  claim 16 , wherein,
 the gear drives the lid from an open state to a closed state through rotation in one direction, and 
 while the rotation in one direction of the gear causes the pin to move in the non-driving section provided at the end of one of the groove and the elongated hole, an engaging member provided to the gear engages an engagement-object member provided to the lid. 
 
     
     
       19. The link mechanism as described in  claim 18 , wherein the gear is a sector gear. 
     
     
       20. The link mechanism as described in  claim 19 , wherein the engaging member is an end portion of the sector gear which is formed in the shape of a hook. 
     
     
       21. The link mechanism as described in  claim 17 , wherein,
 the gear drives the lid from an open state to a closed state through rotation in one direction, and 
 while the rotation in one direction of the gear causes the pin to move in the non-driving section provided at the end of one of the groove and the elongated hole, an engaging member provided to the gear engages an engagement-object member provided to the lid. 
 
     
     
       22. The link mechanism as described in  claim 21 , wherein the gear is a sector gear. 
     
     
       23. The link mechanism as described in  claim 22 , wherein the engaging member is an end portion of the sector gear which is formed in the shape of a hook.